Uber drivers in the UK have launched a 24-hour strike against the company's work and pay policies, which many drivers have seen shift in recent years.

On Tuesday, Uber drivers in the British cities of London, Birmingham, and Nottingham launched a 24-strike of the ride-hail platform, asking customers not to cross their "digital picket line" throughout the day.

As the Guardian reported, the strike was organized by United Private Hire Drivers (UPHD), a branch of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain, which has called for Uber to end its driver "deactivation" practices, raise driver wages and benefits, and increase fares to market-suited rates.

Around 100 drivers and supporters rallied at Uber's London headquarters near lunchtime, and briefly attempted to enter the building, according to reports. Drivers also gathered outside the company's officers in Birmingham and Nottingham at midday.

James Farrar, chairman of the UPHD, commented to press,“After years of watching take-home pay plummet and with management bullying of workers on the rise, workers have been left with no choice but to take strike action. We ask the public to please support drivers by not crossing the digital picket line by not using the app during strike time.”

Uber drivers rally near the company's London offices demanding employment rights, an end to unfair dismissals, increase in fares to £2 per mile, and reduction of commission to 15%. (Credit: Wiktor Szymanowicz / Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

The strike is the latest in a series to sweep the globe this year on behalf of low-wage workers. Last week, UK employees at McDonald's, TGI Friday's, and Wetherspoons participated in a joint strike calling for higher pay.

A spokesperson for Uber commented by email,

"We are always looking to make improvements to ensure drivers have the best possible experience and can make the most of their time driving on the app. That’s why over the last few months we’ve introduced dozens of new features, including sickness, injury, maternity and paternity protections ... We continue to look at ways to help drivers increase their earnings and our door is always open if anyone wants to speak to us about any issues they’re having.”

They also suggested that ridership seems about the same since the strike began.

Earlier this year, Uberwon the rightto operate in London again afterlosing its license in 2017based on perceived violations to London transport authority regulations, and following pushback from drivers and organized labor groups. Since then, Uber and its fellow ride-hail companies have encountered various bumps in the road in multiple countries, as well as some windfalls.

This summer, New York City's council voted to regulate Uber drivers' pay and certain working conditions going forward, making it the first city to impose a minimum wage for app drivers. So far this year, seven professional drivers in NYC (including one app-based driver) have also died by suicide following prolonged financial strain, increasing the pressure on Uber and Lyft from critics in the US and abroad.

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